Summer Lovingkindness Retreat (238R25) - On Land

Registration opens at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on March 12, 2025, and closes at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on July 8,2025. A waiting list will be created if the retreat fills early.

Interested in Commuting to the retreat? – learn more below.

Retreat to be held on the land

Description

The Buddha’s liberating teachings on the four divine sanctuaries (brahmavihāras) include meditations on universal friendliness (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), altruistic joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekkhā). Aimed at purifying our hearts and developing concentration (samādhi), these divine sanctuaries aid our ability to both find inner peace and to powerfully engage with the world. This silent retreat will deepen our understanding of selfless love and its role in ending suffering.

This retreat is silent except for teacher-led Q&A, small groups meetings, or other practice meetings. Retreatants are encouraged to combine this lovingkindness retreat with the following Insight Meditation retreat to further develop concentration, purify the heart, and learn to combine these two forms of Buddhist meditation. The combination of these two retreats gives a unique opportunity to blend the two wings of Buddhist wisdom based in love and emptiness.

Unique Opportunity for a 18-night Retreat – merging lovingkindness and insight meditation practices:
Prerequisite for 18-night Retreat: Completion of one (or more) 9-night (or longer) silent, residential, insight meditation retreat(s). You will be required to list retreat experience during the registration process: the teachers’ names, dates, location/center, length (# of nights), and style of the retreat(s). Online retreats do not meet this prerequisite.

If you would like a longer retreat period (18 nights), you could attend BOTH Summer Lovingkindness (July 9-18) and the Summer Insight (July 18-27) retreats back-to-back. We will reserve 15 spaces for this extended retreat opportunity. These spaces sell out quickly, so register as early as possible.

Financial Details

Sliding Scale fees are for 9 nights including food and lodging. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you can afford: your generosity supports Spirit Rock’s efforts in offering lower sliding scale rates and supporting the large number of scholarship requests.*

Supporter Rate w/guaranteed single room – $5400
Benefactor Rate – $4320
Sustainer – $3240
Basic – $2160
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, Mudita/Karuna, or Young Adult [ages 18-26 yrs]) – $855
*Registration fees DO NOT include teacher dana. At the end of the retreat, there will be an opportunity to offer dana to the teachers and to Spirit Rock.

Scholarship offerings: All scholarship rates require a minimum fee. These rates are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and limited to those with significant financial needs. Scholarships are limited to TWO per calendar year for on-land retreats. And, while we are not able to offer “pay what you can” type of scholarships for residential retreats, we invite you to email us if the lowest rate does not fit your financial circumstance.

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2024 – Covid-19 Safety Protocols for residential retreats have been updated..

Cancellation Policy (Residential Retreats):**
Standard Cancellation Fees:

• $100 On or before 8 weeks
• $175 4-8 weeks before
• $300 2-4 weeks before
• No refunds as of 2 weeks before

Scholarship and Commuter Rate Cancellation Fees:

• $75 On or before 8 weeks
• $100 4-8 weeks before
• $200 2-4 weeks before
• No refunds as of 2 weeks before

**Fees reduced for serious illness or death in family

Retreat Commuter Option

The retreat commuter option will only become available once the retreat is FULL with a waitlist.

Prerequisite to Attend as a Commuter:
You must have attended at least one 7-night or two 5-night silent, Insight (vipassanā) meditation residential retreats PRIOR to attending this retreat.

What is a Retreat Commuter?
A retreat commuter is a practitioner who attends a full residential retreat, including all meals, but they are not provided with overnight accommodations. Instead practitioners stay in their own home or find local accommodations. A communal resting area is provided during the day while on campus for the retreat. The retreat commuter is expected to attend the entire retreat just like residential retreatants. Special reduced rates are listed below for retreat commuters

If you have questions about being a retreat commuter, please email Registration@spiritrock.org

Commuter Sliding Scale:
Sustainer-Commuter – $1620
Basic-Commuter – $1080